“Praying Does Not Stop His Fist From Hitting My Face”: Religion and Intimate Partner Violence From the Perspective of Survivors and Service Providers

More than two in five women have experienced sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in Utah. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) who approach their religious leaders for guidance. In depth, semistructured focus groups and interviews were conducted with 102 participants, including 43 survivors and 59 service providers. Data analysis consisted of line-by-line analysis, identifying themes, coding categories, and developing matrices. Religious leaders tended to endorse faith-based resolutions to IPV, or a “faith first” approach, as they prioritized regular prayer and church attendance over survivor safety. Religious leaders lacked an understanding of IPV, trauma and even circumvented larger systems intended to protect survivors. Thus, religious leaders require training to respond to IPV in a trauma-informed manner. With proper education, religious leaders have an opportunity to ally with survivors and domestic violence services organizations.